Already Gone
by ghfan22222
Summary: It's so hard to say goodbye.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The room was dark except for the streaks of morning sun peeking in though the gaps in the curtains. She reached for him, but he was already gone. She could still smell him on their sheets. The house was quiet except for the sounds of breakfast being made in the kitchen downstairs. She stretched and smiled as she thought of him, and her dream about him last night. She opened her eyes to see the bottle of sleeping pills on the side table. She stood up and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. When she saw her puffy eyes and the ashen color of her face, her smile quickly faded as the realization hit her. He was already gone.

Not just gone downstairs to make breakfast. Not just gone to work. Gone.

Tears streamed down her face as she crawled back into her bed and sobbed. She couldn't believe this was happening. She knew she had to get up and get ready for the day, but there was no way she would ever be ready for this. Not for this day.

Her husband was gone. And today Sam Morgan had to say goodbye.


	2. Chapter 2

You should know: Michael's shooting happened, but Claudia had nothing to do with it. Claudia and Sonny are married, and although it was a marriage of convenience, their feelings developed into true love. As far as I'm concerned, Elizabeth is irrelevant and Jake is Lucky's.

Chapter 1

There was a tap on the door. Carly poked her head in. "Sam?"

Sam stepped out of the bathroom as she finished putting in her earrings. Carly winced inwardly when she saw her. Sam looked like a zombie, eyes glassy and hollow. This had definitely been the hardest time of their lives.

"Carly," Sam whispered almost inaudibly. Carly took a few large strides and reached Sam just in time to catch her as her legs buckled from the grief.

"Hey, sweetie. It's going to be okay," Carly whispered as she held her tightly. Tears flowed down both womens' faces. She honestly didn't even believe the words herself. How could they survive this? "I'm right here, and together we're going to get through this." Her voice cracked on the last few words.

Sam pulled back and gave Carly the tiniest smile. "Thank you, I don't think I would have made it without you."

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Carly said. Both women welcomed the humor of the irony. Who would have ever believed that Sam and Carly would have become friends? After Sam and Jason had gotten married, Carly and Sam realized that they had more in common after all. Carly may not say it very often, but Sam was probably the best friend she ever had other than Jason.

Taking in a deep breath, Sam wiped her eyes and slipped on her shoes. "I guess I'm ready," she said as Carly was drying her own tears.

In the limo on the way to the church, Sam sat between Carly and Maxie, with Spinelli sitting across from them. Sam gripped her friends' hands, knowing that she'd never make it through today without them.

"How are my girls?" Sam asked Maxie.

"They're doing okay. They still don't understand why Mommy's sad and why they can't see their Daddy," Maxie answered with tears in her eyes. "But they're tough - like their parents. Mercedes is meeting us at the church with them. I figured you needed some time."

"Thank you for taking care of them….it's just been so hard. I can barely form coherent sentences, and my babies deserve more than that."

"It is our pleasure, Fair Samantha. Maximista and I are glad to spend some time with the girls," Spinelli said softly. His heart broke for Sam, Addi and Ava. The girls were mature beyond their four years, but they still could not comprehend the sadness that had surrounded them.

Soon after Sam and Jason got married, their miracle happened. Not only was Sam able to get pregnant, but she gave birth to healthy, beautiful identical twin girls. They had Sam's beautiful chestnut hair and Jason's piercing blue eyes. Their only visible difference was that Addi had a small, almost invisible heart-shaped birthmark on her left temple near her hairline, while Ava's was on her right. Their personalities were quite different, as Addi had Sam's spunk and determination while Ava was more like Jason, thoughtful and wise.

The car reached the church and the five of them emerged into the crisp spring air. Sam didn't even notice the glorious day. She was focused on what lay ahead. Taking her by the arm, Carly walked her into the church. She was surprised to see Claudia Corinthos in the foyer. Claudia looked almost as empty as Sam felt. She stepped over, wrapping Claudia in a tight hug. Both women clung to each other as sobs wracked their bodies. Spinelli held Maxie close and placed his hand comfortingly on Carly's shoulder. Anyone who had known these people in the past would be surprised to see them band together, but the devastation they had experience had made them family.

The explosion that had taken Jason's life had seriously wounded Sonny and several others in the organization. Sonny had massive internal bleeding and was in a deep coma. The doctors didn't to expect him to recover. Jason had been closest to the source of the blast, the investigators had informed Sam.

"Claudia, I didn't expect you to be here," Sam said once they had released each other.

"Sonny would want me here," Claudia answered. "He would want me to come say goodbye for him. Sam, I'm so sorry. I know words are never enough, but that's all I have to offer. I've been so focused on Sonny that I haven't even checked on you and the girls. I just can't believe this happened."

"Don't worry about us…we're being taken care of. Just take care of Sonny and my little nephew there," Sam said, placing her hand on Claudia's belly.

Sam turned to see Addi and Ava with their Aunt Carly. She knelt and gathered her babies in her arms. "I've missed you so much."

"Mommy, Aunt Maxie and Uncle Spinelli told us that we're going to tell Daddy goodbye. That's not fair! I don't want to tell him goodbye," Addi said with a pout.

"Addi, remember? Daddy is gone, but he's always going to be in our hearts. We have to tell him goodbye, but it's okay to miss him," Ava said wisely. "Right, Mommy? It's okay to be sad?"

"You're right baby. Daddy loved you both so much, and we're going to miss him for a long time, but Daddy would want us to take care of each other," Sam said as tears pricked her eyes and she felt her composure slipping away.

"Excuse me, Fair Samantha, but the minister is ready to begin," Spinelli interjected.

hand and followed Maxie and Spinelli through the doors. She turned to Claudia, who was headed toward a pew in the back. "Come on," she said.

"I'll just sit back here…I don't want to intrude," Claudia said modestly.

"No," Sam said firmly. "Come sit with your family."

---


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Sam closed the door to the penthouse and pressed her back to it. Her strong façade crumbled as she slid to the floor. Burying her face in her hands, Sam wept for her only true love.

How had this happened? Why? She and Jason had reconciled their differences and were more in love than ever. They had two beautiful children and the best friends they could ask for. She and Spinelli had their PI business up and running. Jason and Sonny had given up the business and were now legitimate coffee importers. Life had been perfect. 'Too perfect,' Sam thought to herself.

She dragged herself from the floor and went upstairs. Carly had taken the girls to see Morgan, knowing that Sam was not ready or able to take care of them yet. She needed time to get herself back together. She couldn't stand the thought of hurting her sweet babies.

Sam reached their bedroom and a fresh batch of tears fell as she crawled into bed fully clothed. She drew Jason's pillow close to her body and inhaled his scent. She closed her eyes and that night came rushing back to her.

_Five days ago_

_The girls were with Carly and she was at home waiting for Jason so they could go to dinner. This was their first date night in a while and he was late. Since he and Sonny had left the business, he had rarely been late getting home. She was getting pissed because he wasn't answering his phone. She was also a little worried since he never did this to her. She decided to call Sonny to see if he was with him. _

"_Hello?" a female voice answered._

"_Hey Claudia, it's Sam. Is Jason there?" Sam asked._

"_No, I was actually about to call Jason to see if Sonny was with him. He was supposed to meet me at GH for an ultrasound at 4:30 and he never showed," Claudia answered. _

_Sam glanced at the clock on the wall. 6:25. "Well, I'm sure everything's fine. They'll be home before too long, I guess. How was your appointment?"_

"_It was great. I found out that we're having a little boy!" Claudia answered, beaming. _

"_Congratulations! Sonny will be so excited," Sam said with a smile. _

"_I can't wait to tell him," Claudia replied. "If he'd ever come home!"_

"_Hey, I have a beep. I'll talk to you later," Sam said glancing at her caller ID and was relieved when she saw the number. "It's Jason. I'll call you back after I talk to him."_

"_Ok, bye."_

"_Bye," Sam said as she hit the button to take the other call. "Hello?"_

"_Sam." She could hear the despair in his voice. The emotion was enough to cause Sam's knees to go weak. Something was wrong._

"_Jason? What's wrong?" Sam asked as she sank down onto the couch. _

"_Sam, there's not much time. It's bad. I-I don't know what's going on, but they left me a phone to call you to say – to say goodbye." His voice broke on those last words and Sam felt the panic set in. _

"_No! You can't say goodbye. You must fight Jase! Fight for me – for us!" She was sobbing now._

_She heard chains rattle in the background and Jason was screaming curses._

"_Jason!" she screamed hysterically. _

"_Sam, baby, I love you and our girls so much. You'll be okay. You're strong and you'll make it. We've tried to get out of this, but –"_

"_We?" Sam asked._

"_Sonny and some of our guys were with me. We were at the warehouse and – " _

_Jason's voice was cut off by the sound of an explosion. The line went dead._

"_NO!!!" Sam screamed. "Jason!!!"_

_-----_

Sam opened her eyes to push away the memories. His words echoed in her head. '_You'll be okay. You're strong and you'll make it.' _She reached over and shook out two of the sleeping pills that had been prescribed to her. She laid back on her pillow. The police had come that night, surprised that Sam already knew what they were going to say. They reported that human remains had been found along with Jason's melted cell phone, his wedding ring, and the charred remnants of his clothes. Sonny had been seriously injured and was not expected to survive along with several other of their men. All of the men had been held prisoner and were in separate areas. Jason was apparently closest to the origin of the explosion. They had extended their condolences and made their way out. Sam had collapsed on the couch, in shock from the events of the evening. Not too long afterwards, Carly had returned to find her.

_Carly never expected the scene she walked in on. When she came to bring the girls back she opened the door to find Sam curled in a ball on the sofa. _

"_Hey my angels, I think Mommy's taking a nap. Why don't you go up to your room and get your PJs on while I talk to Mommy," Carly said with a forced smile. She had never seen Sam like this. Something was wrong._

_She sat gently next to Sam and placed her hand on her shoulder. Sam blinked, but did not react. "Sam?" she asked softly. "What happened?" _

_Nothing. "Sam? I'm worried. Something bad happened…didn't it?_

_Carly was surprised when Sam leapt up and grabbed on to her. "Carly," she wailed. "Jason – he's – he's…"_

_Carly's heart leapt into her throat. "Sam, is he at the hospital? Do we need to go?" _

_Sam shook her head and swiped her hand across her eyes. "There's no need, Carly."_

_Her eyes glazed over and she found herself saying words that sounded foreign to her, like they came from somewhere else. _

"_Jason's dead."_

_----_

That night, Sam slept dreamlessly thanks to the sleeping pills. When she awakened the next morning, some of her resolve had returned. She lay in bed with more hope than she had felt in the last few days. Her heart still felt like it had shattered into millions of tiny pieces, but she knew that it was time to get back to her life. Jason would want that. Again, she heard his voice. '_You'll be okay. You're strong and you'll make it.' _ She needed to take care of herself and their girls.

Most importantly though, she had come to a conclusion. It was time to track down the bastards that destroyed her family and make them pay.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

The service had been three days ago. Sam was trying to get back to her normal life, but even the most mundane tasks seemed impossible without him. Addi and Ava were down the hall in their room, still asleep. She lay in bed wearing one of Jason's infamous t-shirts as she prepared herself to face the world. Today was the day that she and the girls were getting back to the world outside. She had gotten past the devastating, debilitating, heart-being-ripped-out-and-churned-in-the-blender grief, but she still felt disconnected and lost. She knew that Jason wouldn't want her wallowing in pity, so she owed it to him to do her best.

She reluctantly rose and took a hot shower. She stood under the stream of water and felt invigorated. She could do this. It would get easier.

Once she got the girls ready, they were out the door. Addi and Ava were going back to preschool today and Sam was going to the office. They stopped for a quick breakfast at Kelly's, then Sam dropped the girls off with a promise to spend the afternoon together.

Sam headed to the MetroCourt where she took the elevator up to the 11th floor. It felt good to put her key in the lock of M&S Investigations. Carly had pulled strings for her and Spinelli to get this office space for their PI firm. They were right across the hall from Crimson and Carly's office was directly upstairs, so it was perfect. Sam pushed open the door and welcomed the feeling of normalcy. She went to sit at her desk and sorted through the mail that had accumulated in her absence. The door opened and Spinelli entered. Not noticing her, he quickly placed his laptop on his desk and began his morning ritual of starting the coffee, opening the blinds, and getting everything ready for the day. Sam felt a pang of joy mixed with anguish as she realized how much Jason had rubbed off on him. The boy that had come to live with them many years ago had been replaced by an eccentric yet wonderful man. Spinelli's eyes came to rest on her and it took a moment to click in his mind.

"Fair Samantha! You have returned!" he said with a grin. He walked over and wrapped Sam in a hug. "How are you? You look like you're doing well," he said gently.

"I am. It's hard, I won't lie, but I can do this. I have to – for me, for my girls, and for Jason," she said with a hopeful smile as she squeezed his hands

"Now, I have a new case that requires our urgent attention," Sam said as she motioned for Spinelli to sit across from her.

"Of course, the Jackal is ready to assist in any way," he said as he opened his laptop to take notes and begin research.

"We are going to find out who took Jason from us and make them pay," Sam said seriously.

Spinelli stopped typing and looked up skeptically. "Are you sure about this?"

"She's sure," Carly said from the doorway. "And I want in."

"Me too," Maxie said, joining the group.

"No," Sam said. "I'm not dragging you two into this. I'm only letting Spinelli help because he is the best at cyber-surveillance and research."

"Too bad, Sam," Maxie said determinedly. "Carly and I are in. You mess with us and there's going to be hell to pay."

"Exactly," Carly said as she dragged a chair close to Sam's desk. Maxie followed suit. "So where do we start?"

----

The four had worked through the morning, but not much progress was made. It was almost time to pick the girls up from school. Sam decided to stop by the hospital on her way and check on Sonny.

She tapped lightly on Sonny's door and poked her head in. She wasn't prepared for Sonny's appearance and tears pricked at her eyes. He was badly bruised and his complexion was pale. He was on a ventilator and had various IVs and other tubes running in and out of him. Claudia was napping in the recliner beside the bed, hands resting on her big belly. Sam went to duck back out, not wanting to disturb them. Just as she started to close the door, Claudia stirred and blinked her eyes.

"Hey, Sam, please come in," she said sleepily. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and tried to look awake.

"No, it's okay…I'll come back later, you need to rest," Sam said apologetically.

"Please?" Claudia asked. "I'm kinda going stir-crazy here."

Both women laughed softly. Sam went to the other chair in the room and took a seat.

"How are you?" Claudia asked.

"I've been better…but I've also been worse. It's hard, but I'm going to be okay. I keep re peating that sentence in my head, and, so far, it seems to be working," she answered. "How about you? How are you and my nephew?" Sam asked as she smiled at Claudia's belly.

"Honestly, I'm about to go crazy. I've never been one to sit around all day. I want to be here for Sonny, but I feel like I might climb the walls at any moment. The baby's great. He's been kicking up a storm. I've been holding Sonny's hand up to my stomach, thinking maybe feeling his son would bring him back to us," Claudia said tearfully.

Sam took her hand comfortingly. "I know Sonny is doing his best to come back to you both. He just needs time to heal. Has there been any change?"

"Not really. Patrick says that his vitals are improving, but so far he's not coming out of the coma. I can't lose him, Sam. I'm sorry, it's not fair that I'm complaining about Sonny being alive when Jason…you know, but I love him so much and this baby needs his father."

"Hey, you don't need to feel bad about it. I believe that Sonny is strong and he's fighting for you," she said reassuringly. She and Claudia had become casual friends when they had married Sonny and Jason, but this tragedy had bonded them forever.

"I hate to rush off, but I have to go pick up the girls from school. Why don't you join us for lunch and some fresh air at the park? I'm sure it will make you feel better."

"That sounds great. I need to get out of here before I lose it!" Claudia said with a smile. She kissed Sonny softly and told him she'd be back soon. They left word at the nurses' station to call if they needed anything and then walked out into the beautiful spring weather.

---

Sam and Claudia sat on a bench and watched Addi and Ava play. It had been a tough day, but Sam had made it. 'One down, a lifetime to go,' she thought. She was glad Claudia had joined them. She could tell it had helped her relax, and Sam realized she needed the company.

"Aunt Claudia! Look!" Addi said as she ran up to the women. "I found a callapitter!"

"Wow, Addi! That's great!" Claudia said looking at the squirming creature.

"Addison Jaye Morgan! Put that down! You don't know if that's poisonous," Sam admonished.

"No, Mommy, Ava said it's not," Addi pouted. She didn't want to give up her new pet.

"Ava Caroline! Did you say that?" Sam asked her other daughter.

"Yes, I did. It was in a book that Daddy and I read. It showed pictures of callapillars and Daddy showed me which ones were good and which were bad. I 'membered that kind was a good one," she said proudly.

Sam didn't really know what to say to that. "Okay," she sighed. "But you're both getting hand sanitizer before we leave."

The girls ran off to play. Sam laughed lightly. "You just never know what to expect, do you?"

Claudia didn't answer. "Claudia?"

Claudia looked up with a cold look in her eyes. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I'm not sure if you want to hear it, but…"

"Go on," Sam said, recognizing the look of revenge.

"Whoever took their Daddy away needs to pay dearly. Whoever put Sonny in a coma needs to feel the pain I feel right now. They came after our families and took the men that we love. Those bastards need to have their asses handed to them. We need to make sure that happens."

"Funny you should mention that," Sam said, surprised by Claudia's comment. "Spinelli, Carly, Maxie, and I are working on finding who is responsible at this very moment. I didn't include you because of the baby, but I can see that you're going to insist. I completely understand – I'd do the same thing. But I have one requirement."

"Okay," Claudia replied.

"That baby comes first. No dangerous situations, no fighting or even getting too stressed out. You have to promise me that you'll let us handle the hard stuff."

"Deal," said Claudia. "So where do we start?"

Sam laughed heartily, her first good laugh in a long time. "You sound just like Carly!" Claudia laughed, too.

Sam was going to have her hands full with those two, not to mention Maxie and Spinelli.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

It had been a month since the five had made their pact to find Jason and Sonny's attackers. Spinelli and Sam had put aside any other cases that were not urgent matters in order to put all their attention on their own. Carly, Claudia, and Maxie were in and out of M&S Investigations getting their "assignments" from Sam and Spinelli. Today, Maxie was off work and the five had agreed to meet up to put their heads together and compile all of their information.

This had definitely been Sam's most difficult case. She had been doing well since Jason's death, but trying to solve his murder was taking its toll on her. She had to do this, though. She owed it to him. She owed it to Sonny, and Claudia, and their baby. She knew that if the situations were reversed, Jason would never give up and neither would she.

Carly was the last to arrive at M&S. She had taken Morgan and the twins to school and Mercedes was going to pick them up and keep them for the afternoon.

"Alright, I'm here! As soon as I order us some breakfast we can get started," she said as she dialed down to the MetroCourt kitchen.

Not much later, an amazing spread of pastries, fruit, coffee, and juice was delivered to the office. They fixed their plates and gathered around the table.

"Okay," Sam said, swallowing a mouthful of croissant, "Let's see what we've figured out and try to put the pieces together. Spinelli, you want to start?"

"Absolutely. The Jackal has reviewed security footage from the warehouse. Nothing of significance can be seen until the explosion. The cameras were of deplorable quality and were focused only on the exterior of the building and of the warehouse floor. This leads the Jackal to assume that StoneCold, Mr. Sir, and their employees were held in the office areas."

"So there was no evidence of anyone coming or going from the warehouse?" Maxie asked.

"Alas there was not, Maximista. The Jackal scoured every second and there were no traces of the Minions of Doom. There is footage where StoneCold and Mr. Sir can be seen, but they were carrying out their daily tasks, nothing out of the ordinary. I also took the liberty to check into financial records and other electronic forms of correspondence for any evidence of the evildoers. My valiant search is ongoing, but thus far it has been fruitless."

"Thanks Spinelli," Sam said. "If you don't mind, we should look at the footage together. Maybe one of us might see something."

"Wise idea, Fair Samantha. 'Tis best for many eyes to look upon the evidence."

"Ok, next. Maxie, how did it go with Diane?" Sam asked.

"Well, thanks to my ties with Crimson and her love of couture, Diane and I bonded immediately. She loved my new Christian Louboutin's and we compared Prada bags. I'm telling you, love at first sight," Maxie said proudly. "She said normally she wouldn't share private business info, but because of my dedication to her favorite cause – fashion – she'd make an exception. It didn't hurt that she thought a lot of Jason and Sonny, too."

"So?" Sam asked expectantly.

"Well, she said that, legally, things had been quiet. Jason and Sonny were running their business legitimately and her main duty was reading and verifying contracts and other legal documents. She did mention that there had been a few problems with some contracts, but that Sonny and Jason were taking care of it."

"Great. Good job, Maxie."

"Claudia? Have you come up with anything new?" Sam asked. She had Claudia looking through records from the warehouse and any paper correspondence that Sonny and Jason had received. The task was perfect for her because she could do it while sitting with Sonny, and considering that she was 8 months along, she didn't need to be running around doing detective work.

"Well, I went through the records and they all seemed to be in order. There were a few questionable items that I wanted us all to look at together, though. They seemed sketchy to me," Claudia said as she spread the envelopes on the table.

"At first glance, they look like business contracts, but then I was looking closer. It appears that someone was trying to persuade Jason and Sonny to run something illegal through their operation."

Sam picked one up as Spinelli looked on. No return address. She took the paper from the envelope and noticed an unfamiliar insignia at the top. She glanced at Spinelli.

"I'm on it," he remarked as he began hunting for the logo on the internet.

"It looks like they were trying to elbow their way in," Sam remarked. "I see what you mean, Claudia. This does appear to be a simple shipping contract, but the difference is that they had already set up the appointment without Sonny or Jason's consent."

"When was the appointment?" Carly asked.

Sam felt the color drain from her face. "The day of the explosion."

The room fell silent as they processed the information.

Carly was the first to find her voice. "So that means that whoever this logo belongs to is responsible. Spinelli? Any luck on finding it?"

"Not yet, Valkyrie, but the Jackal is tireless in his pursuit. I have set up search modules that will continue to seek out the Seal of Evil while our meeting continues," Spinelli said as he hit the last few keys.

"This is a big breakthrough. Now all we need to do is find out who the logo belongs to and we're in business. In the meantime, we need to see if we can reconstruct exactly what happened that led up to the explosion," Sam said. "We need to work on a timeline, come up with as many details as possible. I wish Sonny or the guys were able to give us some information."

As if on cue, Claudia's phone rang. "Hello?" she answered. "Yes, this is Mrs. Corinthos. What happened? I'm on my way."

She snapped the phone shut with a look of sheer terror.

"What happened?" Sam asked as Claudia began gathering her things.

"I don't know. They said I needed to come right away, that there had been a change in Sonny's condition. They wouldn't tell me…what if he's -," Claudia said trembling.

"Hey, calm down. You need to think positively," Carly said, placing her hand on Claudia's arm. "Sonny's a fighter and he's too damn selfish to give up this easily!"

Claudia gave her a small smile and took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Come on," Sam said, grabbing her purse and keys. "I'll drive you."

"I'm coming, too," Carly said joining them.

"Me, too," Maxie said grabbing her Prada from the chair.

Spinelli sat at his computer, looking at the screen. 'Perhaps the Jackal can stay behind and-'

"Spinelli!!! Come on!" Maxie shouted.

"Yes, Maximista," he groaned as he headed out and locked up.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

When they reached Sonny's room, they were surprised to see Patrick speaking solemnly with a nurse just outside the door. He kept glancing through the window in the door. His expression was unreadable. Claudia grabbed Sam's hand for support as she strode up to Patrick.

"Dr. Drake?" she asked in anticipation.

"Mrs. Corinthos, thank you for getting here so quickly. There has been a change in your husband's condition," Patrick said. "If you," Patrick turned and noticed the others, "and your entourage want to follow me, you can see him."

Claudia drew in a breath as Patrick pushed open the door. Her knees nearly buckled when she saw Sonny sitting upright in the bed without the respirator. "Oh my…"

She pulled out of Sam's grasp and rushed to the bed. "Sonny! You're coming back to me! I knew you wouldn't leave us," she said stroking his face. "Why isn't he awake?" she asked, turning to Patrick.

"Sonny's condition has improved greatly, but he has not yet regained consciousness. However, he was on a large amount of sedation, and that has been reduced since the ventilator was removed. We expect him to wake up at any time and I knew you'd want to be here," Patrick answered. "It's really a miracle that he's even alive, and even more so now that he is recovering. I'll leave you all alone. Please hit the call button as soon as he wakes up so that we can assess him."

"We will, Patrick. Thank you," Carly said. Claudia was focused solely on Sonny, begging him to wake up.

Patrick walked out and closed the door behind him.

"Wow," Spinelli said. "Mr. Sir is returning to the realm of the living just as Jackal PI and his allies are in need of his assistance. The timing is impeccable, not to mention the fact that he is defying the Medical One's expectations. What a glorious day it is!"

The girls laughed in agreement with Spinelli.

"You're right, Spinelli," Maxie said. "This is the best day we've all had in a while."

"Ooh," Claudia squealed. "The baby's kicking." Taking Sonny's hand, she placed it on the spot where she felt the kick. "Do you feel that, Sonny? That's your son. He needs some attention from his Daddy." Everyone looked on with anticipation.

There was no response from Sonny. Sam and Carly's eyes met in disappointment.

"It's okay," Claudia said, mostly to herself. "He just needs more time."

She removed his hand and placed it back on the bed. Just as she went to turn away, Sonny lifted his hand and placed it back on her belly. "Claudia?" he whispered weakly.

"Oh, Sonny, you're back!" She placed her hand on top of his and the other on his face. Sonny struggled to open his eyes. "It's so good to see those beautiful eyes of yours."

"Ditto," Sonny replied with a soft smile.

Sam, Carly, and Maxie crowded around the bed with grins plastered on their faces.

"The Jackal shall go fetch the good doctor. He must come at once!" Spinelli said as he rushed out the door.

"I love you so much. Don't you EVER scare me like that again!" Claudia said in mock admonishment. She leaned in to kiss him despite the resistance of her large belly.

"How's the baby?" Sonny asked.

"He's great," Claudia said, beaming.

"He? It's a boy?"

"Yep! I found out the night of the…accident," she trailed off, not wanting to bring it up so soon.

Dr. Drake came in at that moment and shooed everyone but Claudia out so that he could examine Sonny. Out in the hall, the four friends hugged each other.

"You were exactly right, Spinelli," Sam said. "This IS a glorious day!"

"I agree," Carly said and Maxie nodded in assent.

"The Jackal cannot fathom any way it could be better," he said excitedly.

"Oh really," Maxie said with a gleam in her eye. "I can." She grabbed Spinelli and pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss. When they pulled apart, both were breathless and Spinelli was weak-kneed.

"Um..uh...wow," Spinelli stammered. "The Jackal has always dreamed of the moment when Maximista would demonstrate her feelings of love…"

He was cut off by Maxie. "You want a demonstration, huh?" She turned to Sam and Carly. "Please tell Claudia and Sonny how happy we are and call me – us – in the morning. Spinelli and I need some alone time," she said with a wink. She grabbed Spinelli's hand and the two headed for the elevator.

Sam laughed aloud as Carly looked on with a mixture of confusion and disgust.

"Carly! They're happy," Sam said. "Don't tell me you didn't see it coming."

"No," Carly said. "Everyone knew before them. And I'm happy for them – really. It's just that it was….a little TMI!" She did a fake shudder and grinned at Sam.

Patrick emerged from the room. "Everything looks good. You can go back in."

"Thanks," Sam said with a smile. She and Carly went back in the room.

Claudia was sitting on the edge of the bed holding Sonny's hand. Sonny was dozing, as the little bit of excitement had worn him out.

"Where are Maxie and Spinelli?" Claudia asked. "Is everything ok?"

Carly and Sam exchanged smirks. "They left to go, um, take care of some business," Sam said, using her fingers to make quotation marks.

"What do you mean, take care of….OH!" Claudia blushed slightly as it hit her. The girls all giggled.

"We're going to head out and give you two some time together," Carly said. "Tell Sonny good night and we'll see you both tomorrow."

Claudia hugged both women. "Thank you," she whispered, "for being my friends. I wouldn't have made it without either of you."

"No problem. Good night!" Sam said.

"Wait," came Sonny's hoarse voice. "Sam, I'm sorry, I didn't even ask – how is Jason? Was he hurt?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

Sam stood frozen in her tracks. Tears threatened to fall as the joy of the day was now crushed by the reality of Jason's death. She opened her mouth and closed it again, as no words would come.

Carly stepped forward. "How about you rest tonight and we'll talk in the morning? Sam and I have to go…"

"Carly, please," Sonny said, his eyes pleading and filled with concern. "If Jason was fine, he'd be here right now, so that means he must be hurt. I need to know that my friend – my brother – is okay."

Carly looked at Sam. Sam nodded and walked closer to Sonny's bed. Carly stood close to her for support and Claudia squeezed her hand.

"Sonny, I don't know how to say this – and I really don't want to, but you deserve the truth," Sam said. She never thought that this would be so hard. She drew in a deep breath and tried to speak the words she never wanted to speak again. She reached over and took Sonny's hand. "I wish I could look you in the eye and tell you everything's okay. But the truth is…is…"

Tears poured down her face as she looked over at Carly. "I can't," she whispered. "I can't do it. I thought I could, I thought I was moving on, but…"

"It's okay, Sam," Carly said as she wrapped her arm around Sam's shoulders. "I'll tell him. Okay?"

Sam nodded and tried to pull herself together.

"Sonny, Jason's gone," she said in a low voice. Her heart broke all over again as she watched the realization hit her ex-husband.

"He's….dead?" Sonny whispered as the color drained from his face. Tears stung his eyes. "No. It can't be. Jason wouldn't leave us."

"I'm so sorry, Sonny," Sam said. "I'm so sorry."

Claudia spoke up. "Sam and I were on the phone when she got a beep. It was Jason. She was on the phone with him when the explosion happened. Baby, I'm sorry, but he's gone."

She pulled Sonny into a hug as he grieved for his friend. Sam had moved over to the corner of the room as she relived the moment that had blown her world apart. Carly looked to Claudia.

"Are you going to be okay?" Carly asked.

Claudia nodded as she wiped tears away. "We'll be fine. Take her home and take care of her," she replied nodding toward Sam.

"I will. Call if you need anything," Carly said. "Sam, honey, come on. We'll come back tomorrow."

Carly and Sam reached the car and Sam promptly dozed off against the window. Carly pulled out her phone and dialed Maxie.

"Carly! I thought you understood that Spinelli and I needed some time…" Maxie said with a grin. That girl couldn't take a hint.

"I'm sorry, but we need you. Meet me at Sam's. I'll explain once you get there," Carly said in a weak voice.

The worry in Carly's voice was evident and it startled her. "We'll be right there," she said and hung up.

"Spinelli, get dressed. Sam needs us."

The two got to Sam's in record time. Carly was coming down the stairs. "What happened?" Maxie asked as she shrugged off her coat and sat her bag down.

"Sonny asked about Jason," Carly said. "Long story short, it was awful."

"The Jackal regrets his and Maximista's absence in the wake of emotional turmoil. What can we do to assist?"

"I'm going to let the girls come over to my place. They wouldn't understand why Mommy is sad again. I was hoping you guys would stay here with Sam."

"Absolutely," Maxie answered. "I'll help you get some things together for the girls."

The two women headed upstairs and Spinelli was left alone. He decided to go into the kitchen to scrounge up a snack. He spotted Sam's laptop and decided that while he was here, he might as well do some work.

Carly and Maxie rounded up the girls and their things, and soon it was just Maxie and Spinelli. They stood in the kitchen and snacked as they looked at the computer.

Not too much later, Sam came down the stairs. "Hey guys," she said with a small smile.

Maxie turned and hugged her. "Feeling better?"

"Yeah, it was just so hard to tell Sonny. He loved him as much as we did, so it was like it was fresh all over again," she said. "Find anything?" she asked Spinelli as she moved over to look at the computer. She snagged a chip and stuck it in her mouth.

"Still nothing on the evildoers. They are proficient in covering their tracks and the Jackal has not been able to ascertain the identity of the ones who bear the insignia. Never fear, though, for the Assassin of Cyberspace will not rest until the Minions of Doom are discovered."

---

The next morning, they reassembled in Sonny's room. He was much stronger now, and like Sam, his grief had been replaced with rage.

"Claudia told me that you've all been working to find who did this. I'm in. I know I can't do much from this bed, but at least I'm here in spirit," Sonny said with determination.

"Thank you, Sonny. Actually, we were hoping you could give us some information about what happened," Sam said as she pulled a paper from her purse. "Do you recognize this logo? Claudia found several documents bearing it that seemed sketchy."

"Yeah, Jason and I had been investigating that. We kept getting these bogus contracts with delivery times confirmed. We had not confirmed any shipments with the company. We ended up working later that day because we were checking into the mysterious shipment," he said, brows furrowed as he tried to recount the day's events.

"Who did the company belong to?" Carly asked.

"That's what we were trying to figure out. We were hoping that they would attempt to land the shipment and we would find out once and for all who was screwing with us," Sonny answered.

"Do you remember anything about what happened?" Maxie asked.

"It's fuzzy. I guess the explosion and all messed up my memory of that time. I keep getting bits and pieces, but none of it means anything to me," Sonny answered. "I swear, when we track down who did this, hospital or no hospital, I want a part in ending them."

"I think we all agree to that," Sam said as the others nodded in agreement.

"Right now, though, you need to rest," Claudia said. "and I need some food. We'll be back in a couple of hours." She kissed her husband as they all said goodbye and filed out of the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7

Back at M&S Investigations, they sat around the table again. Pizza was on the way and they wanted to make some serious headway before they returned to the hospital.

"Okay, let's go over the security footage together. Maybe something will jump out at us," Sam said.

Spinelli hooked his laptop to a projector so that they could all watch the footage. Maxie closed the blinds tightly and turned off the lights.

The video came up on the screen and they all began watching. It was boring for the most part, mostly just warehouse workers moving stock around. Sam's breath caught in her throat when she saw Jason enter the frame and speak to one of their men. He clapped the guy on the shoulder and gave him a smile as they laughed about something. She missed him so much.

Spinelli picked up on Sam's distress and quickly changed to another feed.

"This is the view of the parking area. There's not much to note, but maybe someone else will see something in it," Spinelli told the group.

"There," Maxie said, pointing at the screen.

"What?" the others asked in unison, squinting at the screen.

"That car. Sure, it doesn't look out of the ordinary, but notice, it has Massachusetts plates. Why would anyone from Massachusetts be at Corinthos-Morgan?" Maxie said.

"Good eye, Maxie. If it doesn't work out at Crimson, you can definitely come work with Spinelli and me. Spin, run the license plate, please. This could be our break," Sam said with hope and anticipation buzzing inside her.

Claudia's phone rang. "It's Sonny," she told the group. "Hello?"

"Hey, I remembered something that might be helpful," Sonny said.

"Just a sec, let me put it on speakerphone so the others can hear," Claudia said as she pressed the button and placed the phone on the table. "Okay, go ahead."

"I was trying to remember what happened and something flashed into my mind. Jason and I were talking about the mystery shipment when the power failed. With no windows, it was pitch black in the warehouse. Apparently we were ambushed because the next thing I remember was waking up in one of the offices. It was still dark, but I could hear people talking outside the room," Sonny told them.

"That's odd," Spinelli said. "On the security footage, there was no sign of a power failure. Unless…" he began typing furiously on the computer. "AHA! The evildoers hacked into the security feed and set it to loop continuously."

"So you're saying that what we watched is not really what was happening at the time?" Claudia asked.

"Affirmative, Vixenella. The Jackal will see if the original footage can be recovered," Spinelli answered as he continued to work.

"Sonny, do you remember anything else? What about the people? Were they foreign?" Sam asked, jotting notes to herself.

"No, they sounded American," Sonny said. "Mostly men's voices, but one woman. Her voice seemed familiar but I can't place it. I can't remember what was being said. Maybe it will come to me as we talk."

"Can you tell us more? I know it's hard to think about, but any details about the whole situation might help us put it all together," Carly asked.

"When I woke up, I was locked in the room. Like I said, it was dark so I couldn't see out of the room. I tried to get the door open, but it wouldn't budge. I realized through poking around that I was in Jason's office. I tried the phone, but the phone lines had apparently been cut along with the power. They had also taken my cell phone."

"So they didn't offer for you to call me?" Claudia asked.

"No, why would they do that?" Sonny was confused.

They all looked at Sam. "Because Jason called me. He was panicked and and emotional. He said he didn't have much time and that they wanted him to tell me goodbye."

"Oh, Sam," Sonny said. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay. He got to tell me he loved me," Sam replied wistfully.

"So wait. Sam, you told us that you heard chains rattling when Jason called. Sonny, they didn't have you cuffed or anything?" Maxie asked.

"No," Sonny replied. "The door was locked, but other than that, nothing."

They all pondered the implications for a moment. Carly spoke first.

"So why did they have Jason call and not Sonny? And where was Jason being held?"

"Perhaps," Spinelli said, "Mr. Sir was not an intended target. Maybe he was not given the opportunity to say his goodbyes because he was not supposed to…"

"Die," Sam finished. "Jason was the target. You other guys were part of the cover to make it look like it was business related." The wheels were turning now. She paced around the room. "That has to be it. But who would want only Jason to pay?"

Just then, Spinelli's computer beeped. "The Jackal has identified the registered owner of the vehicle. It seems that it is registered to… Helena Cassadine."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Everyone sat in stunned silence. "That bitch," Sam growled. "Find her Spinelli. I'll rip her apart with my bare hands."

"Save some for me," Sonny said.

"And me," said Carly, Maxie, and Claudia at one time.

"Why would she go after StoneCold?" Spinelli asked.

"Why does Helena do anything? Because she's a coldhearted snake with an agenda of her own," Sam snorted.

"The Jackal is attempting to track the car using its GPS coordinates. Perhaps we will find The Malevolent One where her vehicle is located."

"In the meantime, were you able to get the original video footage?" Carly asked.

"Indeed," Spinelli answered. They all turned their attention to the screen. Sure enough, the power had failed. Once the power went out, nothing could be seen.

"Wait, go back," Sam said. "Right before the power fails, people enter the warehouse. Can you blow it up?"

Spinelli backed up the footage and zoomed in. Sure enough, several figures walked in.

"There she is, the devil herself," Maxie fumed. "Those must be her goons because we all know that Helena doesn't do her own dirty work."

"Victory! The Jackal has tracked the Malevolent One's car to a small town in southern Massachusetts. I am sending the coordinates to your cellular device, Fair Samantha, as well as to the GPS in your car. The Jackal assumes that we will soon be in hot pursuit."

"The Jackal is correct," Sam said. "I know it would be pointless to try to stop you, Maxie or Carly from going, so go pack a bag, make your arrangements and meet me at the Penthouse ASAP." Claudia opened her mouth to protest but Sam cut her off. "Hey, I know you want a piece of the action, but you have to take care of the baby."

Claudia reluctantly agreed and they all departed, headed in their separate ways.

---

Less than an hour later, the crew was gathered at the Penthouse. Alexis was keeping the girls and Morgan. They had all changed clothes and packed a bag. Sam retrieved the lockbox from the closet. Since Sonny and Jason had gone legit, the guns had not gotten much use, but they kept them for protection.

Sam unlocked the box. She pulled Jason's gun from the box and tucked it into her waistband. She handed hers to Carly who followed suit. "Maxie?"

"Brought my own," she answered lifting her shirt to reveal the small handgun. They all stared at her in shock. "What? I'm a single girl living alone with a police commissioner as a father. Do you think he wouldn't have me protect myself?" She grinned.

"I trust you know how to handle it," Sam said with a smile.

"Of course!" Maxie replied.

"Okay, then…Spinelli?"

"Many apologies, Fair Samantha, but the Jackal is a lover, not a fighter. Besides, if you remember, the Jackal was banned from any contact with a firearm after the last time he accidentally discharged a weapon into StoneCold's ceiling."

"Okay, just watch yourself," Sam replied. "Alright gang, I think we're ready to roll."

They gathered their things and headed for the door. Sam was surprised when she opened the door, as Sonny was standing there preparing to knock.

"SONNY! What the hell are you doing? Does Claudia know you're here?" Sam shouted.

"Yes, she does," Claudia said as she stepped into view. "We couldn't let you do this without us. We'll stay out of the excitement, but we need to be with you for this."

"Are you sure about this?" Carly asked. "Sonny's supposed to be in the hospital."

"Patrick was going to release me tomorrow anyway. I promised him I'd take it easy, but informed him I was leaving with or without his permission," Sonny said with a shrug. "This is family business."

"Alright, then," Sam said. "But before we leave here, you need to know that I'm not losing anyone else I love. That means you two stay out of harm's way and let us take care of the hard part."

"Agreed," they said in unison.

The six of them boarded the elevator and loaded into Sam's SUV. She pressed the button on the GPS and got on the road.

After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at their destination. Sam looked in the rearview mirror to see both Sonny and Claudia sleeping. She smiled, admiring how good they are for each other. She looked over at Carly in the passenger seat and gave her a nod. "It's time," she said as they got out of the car.

They had agreed on the way that Carly and Sam would scope out the location first. If they found anything, Maxie and Spinelli would back them up. Claudia and Sonny were under strict orders not to leave the vehicle for any reason.

"Alright, Spinelli, testing," she said into her headset. They all had one. "Loud and clear, Fair Samantha. Valkyrie, please check in," Spinelli answered.

"I'm here," Carly replied. Most secret operations would have to come up with code names, but luckily Spinelli had provided theirs long ago.

Sam and Carly moved stealthily toward the house. There seemed to be no sign of guards, and actually, no sign of anyone. She scanned the area for security cameras. Nothing.

"Clear," she whispered. She pulled out her lock pick kit and made quick work of the locked door. She eased it open and she and Carly worked room to room, finding nothing. "Well, this is a bust," Sam sighed. "Spinelli, we're headed back out."

"Wait," Carly said, noticing a button on the wall. "There was a button just like this in Ric and Elizabeth's house…and we all know what purpose it served…" She scanned the wall for evidence of a hidden door. "There!" she exclaimed, running her hands over an almost invisible crevice.

"I bet Helena's hiding in there," Sam said. "Get your gun ready. Maxie, Spin, get in here."

"Right behind you, Sam," Maxie answered from the doorway.

"Okay, Spinelli, you're going to hit the button on the wall. Maxie and Carly, keep your guns on her at all times. We all know how ruthless she can be."

The girls all faced the hidden panel, guns trained. "One, two, three," Sam counted.

Spinelli pushed the button and the panel slid open. Sam stepped cautiously into the room, her gun never wavering.

"Okay, Helena, the gig is up. You're…." Sam's voice trailed off and her hands dropped to her sides.

"Sam, you're here," a familiar voice said.

Sam turned toward the source of the sound. "Oh my…."

"Jason?"


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

The room was spinning and Sam thought she might pass out. The others were rooted in place, not believing what they were seeing.

Finally, Sam got her bearings. She stepped forward tentatively, afraid this was all a dream. When she realized he wasn't disappearing, she ran toward him and wrapped her arms around him. She pulled away and stared him in the face. His beard was shaggy and his hair too long, but she'd never forget those eyes.

"It's really you," she whispered as tears poured down her face. She grabbed him again and kissed him.

"Oh, Jason! I never thought I'd get to see you, to hold you again," she sobbed. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Sam, I did everything I could to come back to you. I should have known you'd never give up on me. That's what kept me going – thinking of the day that I'd get to hold you again," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Now you can, babe," Sam replied.

"Um…well, not really. Small problem," he said, smirking slightly.

Sam looked at him confused. Then she let out a small giggle. In her excitement she hadn't even noticed that Jason was tied to a chair, hands cuffed behind him.

"Spinelli, go to the truck and get the bolt cutters and a knife," she said turning toward her friends. The other three stood there, absolutely stunned.

"Spinelli!" she called louder, breaking them from the trance.

"Oh, uh, yes, uh, um…" Spinelli muttered as he ran from the room.

Carly and Maxie sprung into action as well and rushed across the room. Tears were streaming down both their faces.

"Jase," Carly croaked out. "Oh my…I never…wow."

"Ditto," said Maxie. "Just…wow."

"I take it you didn't expect to find me here?" Jason asked, confused.

"Not exactly," Sam said. "We actually thought Helena was in here. You were definitely a bonus, considering that we thought…" Her voice trailed off.

"You thought what?" Jason asked.

"We thought you were…dead," Carly whispered the last part, as if it would make it less true.

Just then, Spinelli bounded back into the room, bolt cutters in hand. Sam quickly sliced through the ropes and Spinelli cut the cuffs that secured Jason's hands. Finally able to, Jason wrapped his arms around Sam and nestled his face in the crook of her neck.

"I've missed you so much," he whispered.

"Not as much as I've missed you," Sam replied.

"I can't imagine what it was like for you. I'm so sorry, Sam," Jason said looking into her eyes.

"Ahem! As much as I love you both, Sam is not the only one who has missed you," Carly said in typical Carly fashion.

"Carly. I've missed you," he said.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" she warned him before leaping into his arms.

"Never. I promise," Jason said.

He also hugged Maxie and shook Spinelli's hand as he realized that someone was missing from the reunion.

"Sam? What about -?" he began and then stopped as Sonny and Claudia stepped into the room. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"Hey man, welcome back," Sonny said with a grin. "I should have known you wouldn't leave that easily." The two men shook hands and Jason pulled Sonny into a brotherly embrace.

Claudia broke the moment. "Hey guys, sorry to ruin the moment here, but I think there's still some unfinished business we need to take care of."

"That's right. Helena has to pay for this," Sam said with fire in her eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

As Sam drove down the road, she clung to Jason's hand. She noticed the abrasions on his wrists and his slight weakness when they left the house. She shuddered to think about what he had been through. Pushing the thoughts aside, she continued to drive to the location where they had located Helena's car.

Spinelli had run another check on the GPS and had found that she was now at another house not too far away. When they arrived at the house, she put the car in park as she and Jason emerged from the SUV. She handed him his gun and Carly handed hers back. They were going in together.

She quickly picked this lock as well, and they were in the house. They moved silently through the halls until they found the master bedroom. Sam eased open the door and Jason aimed his gun at the sleeping figure. Both of them approached the bed and Sam pressed her gun to Helena's temple. Helena's eyes flew open and a wave of panic crossed her face.

"Ready to die, bitch?" Sam asked as she pulled the hammer back.

---

Spinelli, Maxie, Carly, Sonny, and Claudia waited anxiously in the SUV. A moment later they released the breaths they had been holding when Sam and Jason emerged from the house, dragging Helena along.

Carly and Spinelli jumped out to help, and together the four of them tied her hands and feet and taped her mouth before shoving her in the cargo area of the SUV.

"She's alive?" Maxie asked incredulously. "Wow, Sam, you have much more self-control than me."

"Hear that, Helena? Piss us off and it's Maxie's turn," Sam said with a smirk. "Believe me, I wanted to blow her brains out, but Jason and I decided to let the justice system sort it out."

"She took over a month of our lives. There's no way in hell we're giving up any more for some murder charge," Jason replied matter-of-factly. Turning to Sam, he looked in to her eyes. "Let's go home."

The six (well, seven) of them drove back to Port Charles in peaceful silence, with only the occasional murmuring from Helena. They all chose to ignore her.

---

Upon their arrival to Port Charles, they stopped at the PCPD and left Helena in the hands of Mac. Alexis had agreed to be the prosecutor on the case and Jason and Sam made statements before they left. Carly had taken Sonny and Claudia home before coming back to pick up Jason, Sam, Maxie, and Spinelli.

Before they left, Sam and Jason persuaded Mac to allow them a few minutes with Helena. As the entered the room, Sam and Alexis locked eyes for a moment. Alexis gave a quick nod in understanding.

"Hey, Mac, can you come help me for a minute. I have a drawer in my desk that's stuck. Maybe you can get it open?" she asked with a wink.

Mac looked confused, then it hit him. "Oh! Sure, Alexis. Let's go."

Sam and Jason walked into the interrogation room. Helena sat poised at the table, her cuffed hands resting demurely in her lap.

"Ah, Samantha, I wondered how long it would take you to come see me," Helena said with a poisonous smile. "I didn't expect Mr. Morgan would be joining you, however. It seems that I heard that you died tragically over a month ago. Such a shame," she said with mock sympathy.

Jason took a step toward her, but stilled as Sam reached out. "She's not worth it. She wants to provoke you – don't let her. Besides, I want to be the one to do it," Sam said. Jason calmed down and stepped back. He knew that Sam needed to do this.

"So what is it, Helena? What was your big diabolical plan?" Sam asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"It was for you, dear," Helena answered sincerely.

"Right," Sam said sardonically. "Because this is what I've always dreamed of. I finally had the life of my dreams…my career in full swing, married the love of my life, mother to the most beautiful girls ever created. You're exactly right, Helena. I always dreamed of having my heart ripped out. I always wanted to believe that the man of my dreams was blown to bits – to grieve for him, to help my children say goodbye to their father, to attempt to move on when all I wanted to do was crawl in a hole and die. Yes, Helena, that sounds positively PERFECT!" Sam yelled.

"Samantha…" Helena began.

"NO!!" Sam shouted, placing both hands on the table and leaning toward her. "I'm not done," she growled.

"You took away my husband. I thought he was dead. My little girls – my babies – thought they'd never see their Daddy again. I tracked your sorry ass down, only to find my husband very much alive and chained up like an animal. You are very lucky you are under police protection right now, Helena, because I swear I'd like to rip you apart." She pushed away from the table and went to Jason's side. He placed his hand on her waist and pulled her close to him.

"Samantha, I did this for you. Don't you see? You are a Cassadine. I tried to show Nikolas the same thing by getting rid of that wretched girl he insisted on being with. You deserve better than some defective thug. It's too bad your children are part his – they might still have half a chance…" Helena was cut off by a blow that sent her crashing to the floor.

"Don't you ever speak that way about Jason again, or you will be begging to go to prison," she said as she knelt near Helena's face. "And this…" she said as she grabbed a handful of Helena's hair and drug her to her feet, "this is for Emily." She threw a final punch that caused Helena to bash her head on the table as she crumpled to the floor unconscious. She took Jason's hand and they left the room.

Alexis and Mac walked back into the lobby of the police station to see Sam and Jason emerge from the interrogation room. "Mac, you might want to call the paramedics. Helena took a bad fall and I think she may be hurt," Sam said pointedly.

"Oh, dear. I hope she's okay. It's a shame how age can affect your balance like that," Alexis said emotionlessly. "Go home, you two. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Sam and Jason left the police station and climbed into the SUV with Carly, Spinelli, and Maxie.

"Do you want me to bring the girls tonight?" Carly asked. "Mercedes said they're in bed, but I know they wouldn't mind being woken up for this."

Sam looked at Jason. "Let's wait until morning. I can't wait to see them, but I think Sam needs to talk to them first," he answered.

"You sure?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, and besides," he said running a hand over his face, "I want a little time with my wife first."

"Ew. TMI, Jason!" Maxie said in mock horror. "Carly, can you step on it? These two have some time to make up for!"


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

When they reached the penthouse, Sam unlocked the door and they stepped inside. "It's so good to be home," Jason said as he looked around. He wrapped Sam in his arms and kissed her passionately. "I've dreamed of doing that for so long," he said with emotion in his voice.

"Oh, Jason. I never dreamed that I'd get to kiss you again. I was empty without you here with me," Sam said softly. "I dreamed that you'd come back to me, but then I'd wake up and you were…gone."

"I dreamed that you'd find me. Some how, some way. I dreamed of coming home with you. I dreamed of holding our girls again and never letting go. I dreamed of …."

"What? You dreamed of…?" Sam asked seriously.

"I dreamed of taking a shower and shaving this mess off my face!" he said with a grin.

"I think I can allow that," Sam said, "but only if I can join you!"

"Deal!" Jason said.

An hour later, they were lying in their bed, Sam nestled up to Jason's side. He felt like a new man – or, even better, his old self. He had shaved off the beard and Sam had trimmed his hair. As they lay there together, the only visible remainders of the whole ordeal were the sores on Jason's wrists.

"Jason?" Sam asked, her head resting on his chest.

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"

"Sam, I…"

"I know you don't want to talk about it, but I think it's better to talk," Sam explained.

"I was going to say, I didn't know if you really wanted to hear what happened," Jason replied.

"I need to hear it. We can't have it hanging over our heads. If I don't think I can handle it, I'll stop you," Sam said gently.

"Ok. Well, as you know, there was a power failure at the warehouse. During the blackout, Helena's guys grabbed me and injected me with something. When I woke up, I was handcuffed to a chair in one of the offices. It was dark and I could hear them talking out in the hall. I heard Helena's voice and then one of the guys came in and put the phone on the desk. He dialed you and told me to say goodbye."

"Yeah, that part I remember clearly," Sam cringed.

"Babe, I can't imagine what it was like for you. I really thought I was going to die and I knew that I couldn't go without telling you I loved you one last time." He swallowed thickly.

"Then there was the explosion. I don't know how, but it didn't kill me. Helena, as always, had it planned to a T. It knocked me out, and next thing I knew I woke up in the panic room."

"Oh, Jase," Sam said, stroking his face. "Were you hurt? The police said that the room you were in was closest to the explosion."

"Yeah, I was banged up pretty badly, probably a few cracked ribs. For the first few days, I hurt all over. Once I started feeling better, I tried to get away, but her goons were a step ahead of me. Another injection and I woke up in the chair you found me in."

Tears trickled down Sam's face. Jason looked at her and held her more tightly.

"Did she keep you like that all the time?" Sam asked. "I noticed you were weak when we were leaving the house." She didn't mention it, but she had noticed in the shower that he had lost weight and muscle tone. She shuddered inwardly at the implications.

Jason sighed. He had hoped she wouldn't notice, that he wouldn't have to reveal all the horrific details. He didn't want her to know the hell he had suffered.

"Most of the time, yes. Her guards came in once a day to bring me food. They would untie me and I was allowed one hour before they returned. When the door reopened, there were always five of them so there was no way to overpower them. Helena would pop in sporadically to taunt me and drop hints about the next part of her plan, which I still haven't figured out. I'm glad we'll never know."

"Me, too," Sam replied, relieved this was all over. She traced her fingers over his wrists before placing kisses on the wounds. "We should get those checked out," she whispered.

"Tomorrow," he whispered back. "I just want to go to sleep with my wife."

They slept peacefully that night, wrapped in each others' arms.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

The next morning, Sam and Jason went to GH for Jason to get checked out. Apparently word had spread fast and she and Jason were like celebrities. People gawked at this man who had returned from the dead, but they didn't care. They continued on to find Monica.

"Jason!" Monica practically yelled. "It is so good to have you back, son."

"Thanks, mom," Jason replied with a smile as he hugged her tightly.

Monica checked Jason out and bandaged his wrists. "Your ribs are healing nicely, but take it easy. It's hard to know what other injuries you may have had, but you have a clean bill of health now. Once you get your strength back up, you'll be good as new."

"Thanks, Monica," Sam said as Jason pulled his sleeves down to cover the bandages. "We'll see you soon. It's time to go see our girls."

Sam called Alexis and asked her to bring the girls over to the Penthouse. They agreed that Sam would talk to the girls first and then Jason would come in. They knew that kids were resilient, but it was hard to know how they'd react to Daddy being back.

Both of their hearts were pounding as they rode the elevator up to their home. Jason stayed in the hall as Sam entered. She heard the girls chattering away upstairs.

"Addi! Ava!" she called. "Mommy's home and I have a BIG surprise for you!"

The girls clambered down the stairs with Alexis right behind them. They leapt into Sam's arms and they all settled on the couch.

Alexis headed toward the door. "I'll be out here if you need me," she said softly, not wanting to overstep.

"Will you stay, Mom?" Sam asked. "For moral support?"

"Absolutely." She joined them on the couch and lifted Addi onto her lap while Ava climbed onto Sam's.

"Okay, Mommy has some important news. You know how you stayed with Grandma last night so I could go to work?" Sam asked, looking at each girl.

The girls nodded solemnly.

"Well, I found something very important to all of us. This is very confusing, even for us grown-ups, but I'm going to try to explain it to you." Sam took a breath. How do you tell your kids that your psycho-bitch step-grandmother kidnapped their Daddy and faked his death?

"Well, there was a mistake. We had to say goodbye to Daddy, but it turns out, we didn't need to say goodbye after all. When I went to work last night, I found Daddy. He has been trying to get back to us, but it… took a while. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

The girls looked confused. Addi was the first to speak, as usual. "You mean Daddy didn't go to heaven like Aunt Maxie said?"

"Nope," Sam answered.

Ava cut in. "I want my Daddy," she said forcefully. "Did you bring him home?"

"I sure did," Sam answered proudly.

Just then the door opened and Jason walked in. "Where are my girls?" he asked.

"DADDY!" they screamed as they ran into his arms. Tears flowed freely from all of them, Jason holding the girls close as their mother and grandmother looked on. Alexis wrapped her arm around Sam as Sam rested her head on her mom's shoulder. There, in that moment, everything was perfect.


	14. Chapter 14

Epilogue

Two months later…

The room was dark except for the streaks of morning sun peeking in though the gaps in the curtains. She reached for him, but he was already gone. She could still smell him on their sheets. The house was quiet except for the sounds of breakfast being made in the kitchen downstairs. She stretched and smiled as she thought of him, and her dream about him last night.

Sam stood and yawned as she made her way to the door and down the stairs. She stood on the landing and watched as her girls "helped" Daddy set the table for breakfast.

"Hey, Addi, go tell Mommy it's time for breakfast," Jason said to the little girl.

Addi turned toward the stairs. "MOMMY! TIME FOR BREAKFAST!" she screamed.

"Addi!" Ava exclaimed. "Daddy could have done that!"

Sam grinned as she headed down to join her family. While they ate, the girls talked excitedly about the festivities that would take place later in the day.

---

Jason and Sam stood in the hallway. They should have been with their friends, but since Jason's return, they had been inseparable. 'Besides,' Sam thought, 'I never could resist Jason in a tux.'

Jason was standing by the wall and Sam was pressed up to him. Jason was intoxicated by her beauty. She ran her fingers down his chest and his grip on her waist tightened. "Sam," Jason cut in, "as much as I hate to admit it, we can't do this here…"

"Why not?" Sam asked with a pout.

"Because first of all, we need to be somewhere, and secondly, the hallway of a church is not exactly the best place for a make-out session," he answered with a smirk.

"Aw, man," Sam frowned. "Okay, we do need to go. But before we do…" she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the closest room. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. Jason held her close and they kissed hungrily. Before they went too far, they pulled apart and Jason placed Sam back onto the ground. "Okay, I definitely think that was against church rules," Jason said as they both tried to gather themselves. Sam smoothed her dress and Jason fixed his tie. Jason opened the door and the two walked demurely back to find their friends.

As they parted, Jason smirked and whispered, "Later." He gave a wink before heading off to find the other guys. Sam took a deep breath before opening the door and joining the girls.

"Sam! Where have you been?" Maxie shrieked.

"Sorry, Jason and I got…held up," Sam said with a guilty smile. "You look gorgeous, Maxie."

"Way to change the subject," Maxie said with a smirk. "But thanks. Will you help me with my veil?"

"Sure. Where's everyone else?" Sam said, looking around.

Maxie sat on the vanity chair as Sam secured the short white veil to Maxie's hair. "Carly went to get Morgan dressed to be the ring bearer and Claudia is feeding the baby. I sent Robin to check on the flowers and the cake."

"Done. Now stand up and let me see you," Sam ordered.

Maxie stood and turned to face Sam. "Oh Maxie," she breathed.

Maxie was wearing a strapless A-line gown with intricate beading. Her tanned skin was glowing and her short blond hair was perfectly styled. She wore simple diamond studs in her ears and a beautiful antique silver necklace. Her makeup was tasteful and natural and her blue eyes were shining with joy.

"You look…wow," Sam said, speechless.

"Good, right?" Maxie said with a wink. "I'm so excited, Sam. I love Spinelli so much and I can't wait to marry him. Thanks for being my matron of honor."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Sam replied.

The door opened as Robin and Claudia returned. They were bridesmaids, along with Carly.

"Where's my nephew?" Sam asked.

"Alexis is keeping him during the ceremony for us," Claudia answered. Two weeks after Jason was found Jonathan Samuel Corinthos was born. Claudia never knew true bliss until she held that baby in her arms.

Carly made it back at that time and the five women stood in the bride's room. Sam and the bridesmaids wore matching strapless crimson dresses. Sam would carry a bouquet of white calla lilies and roses similar to Maxie's, and the other girls had bouquets of roses. Addi and Ava were the flower girls and would toss white rose petals. Sam had gotten them dressed and they were somewhere in their Daddy's care.

"Are we ready?" Sam asked. "Maxie, do you have your something old?"

"Check," she answered. "The ribbon on my bouquet is from my mom's dress when she married Mac."

"Something new?"

"My shoes. They're Manolo Blahniks. Terribly uncomfortable but incredibly fabulous."

"Something borrowed?"

"The necklace, from Robin."

"And something blue?"

"My garter," she answered.

"Okay, I think that covers it," Carly said. "We better go."

The girls emerged to find Addi and Ava waiting near the doors to the church. "Mommy, is it time?" Addi asked jumping up and down. "We're so excited!"

"Almost, sweetheart. Remember, you are going in first with Morgan behind you. Mommy will be behind you with Aunt Maxie," Sam squatted down to remind the girls about what they had practiced the night before.

The music began and the women lined up. The doors opened to reveal Spinelli standing at the front of the church with Jason as his best man. Sonny, Patrick, and Johnny stood by as groomsmen. Sam had thought that Johnny was an odd choice, but Spinelli had insisted since he was Vixenella's brother.

Sam turned to Maxie once the girls headed down the aisle. "Here we go," she whispered with a smile.

---

The wedding went smoothly. It was a beautiful ceremony where Maxie and Spinelli had written their own vows. As the exit music played, the bride and groom walked quickly up the aisle to steal a few moments to themselves as the guests moved to the reception.

Sam and Jason gathered the girls and headed to the reception. Addi and Ava ran off to go play with Spencer and Morgan, so Sam and Jason headed to a table to sit. Sam's feet were killing her.

"Why did I let Maxie choose my shoes?" Sam whined.

"Because she has impeccable taste," answered Alexis as she walked up and sat down next to Sam. Sam promptly took Jonathan from her arms and began cooing to him.

"Hi there, Jon. Have you been having fun with Auntie Alexis?" she asked as Alexis made a face in disgust at the nickname Sam chose. Her phone rang, so she stepped away to answer it.

"Jason, look how precious he is," Jason smiled as his wife fussed over the baby. He had loved seeing her with their girls and he couldn't wait until she got to hold their next child in her arms.

Alexis returned to the table, perplexed. "Mom? Is everything ok?" Sam asked.

"Yeah," Alexis said slowly. "That was Mac. Helena is dead."

"What?!?" Sam and Jason said in unison as they looked at each other.

"Yeah, it appears she had a heart attack and died at Pentonville. Cruz is headed to check it out. You know how Helena is…we have to make sure she is actually officially dead."

"Wow," Sam said. "I never expected the old bird to just drop dead. It's fitting though…she always had such grand schemes for faking death, so when she really died, there was no drama."

"I'm actually relieved," Alexis said. "It wouldn't have been a problem to convict her, but she always seems to get out. This way, we don't have to worry about her anymore."

"That is true," Jason said. "It's good to know my family's safe now. Especially considering…" he looked to Sam. He knew she'd want to be the one to share the good news.

"Considering what?" Alexis asked excitedly. She had noticed the glow in Sam's eyes and how she and Jason both seemed to be floating on air.

"We're having a baby," Sam said, grinning. She was caught off guard as Alexis shrieked, "I knew it! Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy…for both of you! Have you told the girls yet?"

"Yeah," Jason answered. "I'm not sure they quite understand. Their biggest concern was that they weren't sharing their room, so the baby's going to have to live somewhere else."

They all laughed as the doors to the ballroom opened and Mr. and Mrs. Damian Spinelli were announced. Claudia came and took Jonathan to feed him, and Jason led Sam out to the dance floor to join their friends. As they danced, Sam laid her head on Jason's chest and enjoyed being in his arms again.


End file.
